The present invention relates to a method of and an arrangement for continuously thickening of suspensions in a filter thickener with candle-shaped filter elements mounted on individually removable collecting pipes.
Filter thickeners of the above-mentioned general type are known in the art. One of such filter thickeners is described, for example, in the German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,741,639 and has a filter container in which collecting pipes with filter elements suspended therefrom one behind the other are mounted. The collecting pipes lie near one another on supporting members and can be removed from the filter container in rows. A device for backwashing of filter candles arranged in rows in standing position is disclosed in the Austrian Pat. No. 211,329. Line conduits on which the filter elements are mounted extend horizontally at both sides through the wall of the container. This extension at both sides is very expensive to manufacture and thereby cost consuming. In addition to the great number of the reservoir openings, each line conduit is provided with two check valves which require a great number of valves and fittings. In all methods of this art for thickening of suspensions with a filter thickener, after filtration cycle in the event of depositing (alluvium) with filter aid means, the filter aid means must be supplied via a supply conduit.